Missed chances force Rockwell to replay in Munster Schools Junior Cup

Rockwell and Christian Brothers College from Cork City must do it all again after both sides played out an exciting draw at Clanwilliam FC in Tipperary Town on Wednesday last.

However it’s the Tipperary men who will be more disappointed with this result however as they had the lion’s share of the chances in this encounter and now must face their formidable opponents in their own backyard in Musgrave Park in Cork City later today.

Rockwell started well in this contest and in particular winger Kieran Moynihan played like he had a point to prove after not starting the last clash with Munchin’s. Indeed Moynihan was involved in his sides first chance after just three minutes when a superb off load out left from fly half Bill Johnston almost saw the Corkman steal in in the corner only to be bundled into touch just a metre short of the line. Indeed a better chance was to come the way of the Tipperary men just five minutes later when good work from the ever present Moynihan saw fullback Stephen Quirke make a superb line break, however Quirke knocked on just as he crossed the line to keep the CBC line intact.

Rockwell finally made their superiority yield dividends on the score board after 10 minutes when in one of their many forays inside the CBC 22 Rockwell won a scrum against the head and after CBC were penalised for offside Bill Johnston made no mistake with the penalty to put Rockwell 3-0 to the good. Rockwell kept pressing but out of nothing CBC scored against the run of play. From their first venture into Rockwell territory winger Oisin Conway received an exquisite pass from backrow Daire Feeney before showing the Rockwell defence a clean pair of heels to score and with outhalf O’Halloran making no mistake with the conversion Rockwell now had a real battle on their hands.

And battle they did with Bill Johnston putting over another penalty just before halftime to leave just four points between the teams at the break. Indeed just five minutes into the second half Rockwell were back in supremacy after centre Lee Molloy sprinted clear after been fed well by scrum half Daryl Egan to score an fantastic opportunist try.

Johnston excellently executed the conversion attempt to put Rockwell 13-10. Rockwell found it hard to get their rhyme going for much of the second half with some overly fussy refereeing by Referee Conor Harrington disrupting much of Rockwell’s lineouts with the homeside been penalised with penalty’s for not lifting by the shorts on no fewer than three occasions. Rockwell also lost influential players Johnston and McGloughlin with head injuries during the closing stages.

However a controversial penalty for offside was to let the Corkmen back into the encounter after Rockwell were penalised for offside it looked like the resultant penalty was taken from the wrong position . That wasn’t O’Halloran’s problem and he duly obliged to tie up the scores at 13-13 with five minutes remaining. Rockwell did have one last opportunity to tie up the scores but alas while stand in kicker Stephen Quirke’s penalty from the halfway line had the distance it tailed to the right.

With no first try rule in knockout schools rugby Rockwell and CBC must do battle again this afternoon at 3pm at Munster Rugby’s second home at Musgrave Park in Cork City at 3pm.

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